Kutubdia Island is an island of about 216 sq km located in Cox’s Bazar district. Kutubdia Island has no electricity connection. Generators and solar power are used to meet the electricity demand here. There are many variations here. There are many things to see including the secluded beach, the largest wind power plant in Bangladesh, salt farming, a lighthouse, and the shrine of Qutub Auliya.
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Sights of Kutubdia Island
Kutubdia Channel
The Kutubdia Channel is quite large. Although it is quite turbulent throughout the year, it is relatively calm in winter. You have to cross this channel from Magnama Ghat to reach the island.
Sea Beach
Kutubdia beach is about 16 km long from north to south. Most areas are quite secluded. It goes without saying that there is no tourist destination. Sometimes there is just the busyness of the fishermen. Somewhere along the beach, there are rows of palm trees. Another major feature of Kutubdia beach is that there is a lot of Gangchil wandering there. A flock of red crabs roams the beach in solitude. Kutubdia beach is an ideal place to watch the sunset.
Wind Power Station
The largest wind power plant in Bangladesh is located at Kutubdia. The power plant with a capacity of about one thousand kilowatts has been built at the southern end of the beach, in the Dale area of Ali Akbar. Do not forget to see this large wind power plant in the country.
Lighthouse
A lighthouse was built in Kutubdia a long time ago to show the way to the sailors of ships sailing on the sea. That old lighthouse has disappeared into the sea long ago. However, the wreckage of that lighthouse is still seen waking up at low tide. The lighthouse that was later built in the area of the old lighthouse is now the guide for sailors. The location of the present lighthouse is a short distance north of Baraghop Bazaar along the beach.
The height of the Kutubdia lighthouse built on a stone foundation was about 40 meters. The six rooms had wooden decks and stairs. Eight lace lamps were installed in the highest room. The fuel for the lamp was coconut oil. The ground floor of the lighthouse was below ground and its walls were very thick.
Darbar Sharif of Qutub Auliya
Darbar Sharif of Qutub Auliya in the Dhurang area of Qutub Auliya Darbar Island. The founder of this court was Shah Abdul Malek Al Qutubi. He was born here in 1911. He died on February 11, 2000. Thousands of devotees gather here every year on his death anniversary (8 Falgun). It is said that Qutbdia was named after the ancestors of Qutb Auliya. At present his son Prince Sheikh Farid is in charge of Qutb Sharif Darbar.
Salt cultivation
Salt is cultivated in the land of Kutubdia in winter. If you go there at this time, you will see that the farmers are busy cultivating salt in the fields. More or less salt is cultivated all over the island. However, the highest salt fields are in Tabal Char, Kaiyar Beel, Ali Akbar’s Dale. Various techniques of natural salt production can be seen here.
The way to Kutubdia Island
go to Kutudia by bus from Cox’s Bazar. AC buses of Sohag Paribahan, TR Travels, Green Line Paribahan, Hanif Enterprise, St. Martin Paribahan, Saudia Paribahan go directly to Cox’s Bazar from Dhaka. The rent is 1,700 to 2,500 rupees. Besides, the fare for non-AC buses of S Alam, Saudia, Shyamoli, Unique, Eagle, etc. is Tk 650 to 800. These buses have to be boarded on the way to Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong, one kilometer in front of Inani Resort. From there you have to take a CNG powered baby taxi to Magnama Ghat.
The rent is 35Tk per person. If you take a reserve, it is 200 Tk. You have to cross the Kutubdia channel from Magnama Ghat by engine boat or speed boat. The engine boat takes 20 to 25 minutes, the fare is 15 to 20 Tk. And the speedboat takes 10 minutes, the fare is 60 Tk. Kutubdia as soon as the channel is crossed. It will cost 25 to 30 Tk to go to Baraghop Bazar by rickshaw. Besides, S Alam’s bus goes directly to Magnama Ghat from the eastern end of the third Karnafuli Bridge in Chittagong and from the Cox’s Bazar bus stand. The fare is 160 Tk from Chittagong and 90 Tk from Cox’s Bazar. Or by bus from Dhaka. Magnama Ghat in CNG from Chakaria. Kutubdia by speed boat/trawler from Magnama Ghat.
Where to stay
The only standard accommodation for tourists on Kutubdia Island is Hotel Samudra Bilas. The beauty of the sea can be enjoyed sitting in this hotel adjacent to the sea. The rent for a non-AC room for two people in the hotel is Tk 800, for three people it is Tk 1,000 and for four people it is Tk 1,200.
Contact:
Hotel Samudra Bilas, Baraghop Bazar, Kutubdia. Mobile 01819647355, 01722086847.
You will not find anything special in Kutubdia for food and drink but you will find a lot of similarities with the food of Cox’s Bazar.
Eating
You will not find anything special in Kutubdia for food and drink but you will find a lot of similarities here with the food of Cox’s Bazar.
Caution
There is no system to mark the tide on the beach. So take a bath in the sea knowing the tidal time at your own risk. It is dangerous to go to sea at low tide.
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